At Princess, clown and Apollo or fountains of Moscow
Do you know how many big fountains work in Moscow? About two hundreds. Even
specialists can’t say their exact number as every year we observe replenishment
in the fountain family.
For the first time fountains, or as they were called then “water-jet”,
got to the capital under tsar Alexei Michailovitch, who liked foreign wonders
very much. In his estate in Kolomensk he arranged various entertainments for his
guests, but the wonder didn’t settle down and the first public fountain in
Moscow was built only 200 years later in 19 century. The famous sculpture Vitali
executed the fountain in Teatralnaya square, which has been kept to our days.
Its water was the clearest, therefore inhabitants used to come here with tubs
and buckets. And though modern fountains can’t boast of so clear water, their
form is really unique.
We will begin our Sunday walking with the famous square near the Bolshoi
theater. It seems a huge water flower blossomed out in the center of the green
little park with lawns. If looking at the roof of the theater through clear
sprays, it seems that the horses, harnessed to Apollo’s chariot, are savaging,
and manes are fluttering in the wind.
Fountains in Manezhnaya square have become a beloved place for
newly-married couples. Very long ago there was a knight custom to cross sabers
above bridegroom and bride in order to cut off evil and unhappiness. In our days
young couples walk under clear jets of fountains – “for luck” – and throw coins
in them.
In Manezhnaya square there is the biggest water construction. The volume of
water makes up 780 cubic meters. Fountain “Snail” consists of two fountains. It
is a small fountain of two froth jets at the very beginning of the construction.
The way, which the water of the fountain follows before reaching the river-bed,
reminds spiral. In the bed-river one of the sculptures by Tsereteli, “Crane and
fox”.
Later fountain “Grotto” follows. Seven froth jets and a sculpture of
mermaid, who settled down for resting in the cozy grotto decorate the fountain.
New fountains become cluttered with legends. Perhaps, fountain “Alexander
and Natali” at the Nikitsky gates has the most beautiful one. Near it, in
the temple of Big Ascension, where Pushkin got married. A drink of water from
this fountain promises loving couples supernatural bliss. By the way it is the
only fountain in Moscow, where drinking water runs. From others it’s impossible
to drink.
In the evening fountains look more effective, because most of them are
illuminated with floodlights. In park of Pobeda from the wall on Poklonnaya hill
in the direction of the Triumphal arch a solemn cascade complex. When twilight
falls on the city, jets in red rays resemble huge red candles.
And may be you are going in the circus in Tsvetnoi boulevard? At the entry a
unique monument to all peoples’ beloved clown Jury Nikulin, and not far away, on
the boulevard itself a clown with an umbrella – another capital composition –
balances. No ticket to circus performance is left? Then go forward to Arbat. The
symbol of Vahtangov’s theater is play “Princess Turandot”. An image of the
arrogant beauty became the theme of the only fountain in Arbat. Full of
impressions after the play don’t hurry to the Metro, but walk along Arbat and
Suvorovsky boulevard, go to Tverskaya street and then reach garden “Aquarium”.
Under crowns of trees god Apollo, playing water strings of his harp, found
refuge. It protects two theaters simultaneous (the theater of Satire and the
Philharmonic theater).
Summer rains
The most southern fountain of the capital is “Summer rains”. The construction
of three cups imitates warm summer rain. Multicolored rainbow, watering with
rain jets, has worked bringing pleasure to children and has decorated this
beautiful area since 2001.
Fountain of Russian university of peoples’ friendship
The fountain of Russian university of people’s friendship is, perhaps, the
most famous in Moscow and in the world. In the university students from far
countries. The fountain itself is quite massive construction.
Above the supermarket three equal fountains-jets, which fully repeat cupolas
of the supermarket of stained glass in form of the globe, are set.
Theft of the Europe
One of the youngest squares of the city at the Kievsky station was called
Square of the Europe and a present from Brussels mayor in form of this
sculpture, named “Theft of the Europe”. In brief its plot can be described in
the following way: Zeus, who turned into a bull, kidnaps the beauty Europe. One
can know the details in the literature in mythology of Ancient Greece. This
fountain is the most computerized and power-consuming in the city.
Now it’s high time to visit this famous capital park, situated on the bank of
the Moscow river, here loud music always plays, lights of the side-shows glows
and children’s laugh is heard. Among all this jets of several fountains raise to
the sky. We will speak of them in detail.
Fountain “Colour musical”
Having entered the territory of the Park through its central entry from the
side of street Krimsky val, we will see this fountain, raising jets high above
Fountain square.
The fountain is not simple and it is seen from its name. With coming of
twilight jets are colored in various colors and change their height to music.
The following story is connected with this fountain: it was built by Olympic
games of 1980 by project of western German firm “Siemens” and in the same year
it was gone into production.
Years went, requirements changed and in 2001 the highlight of the fountain
was cut off by order of Moscow City Energetic Inspectorate as not corresponding
to safety requirements. The reason of it lies in the fact that valves of
powerful underwater lamps worked from tension 220 watt.
In order to return this fountain in all colors to the city, engineers of one
of capital fountain firms got down to this business. Now the filament lamps are
changed by light diodes and works from safety 12 volt.
Fountain “Girl with a jug”
This fountain hid at the exit out of the Park to Leninsky prospect. Its
history is interesting by the fact that for a long time it was in desolation and
only in 1998 when works in accomplishment of the territory and the people paid
attention to the fountain.
Cascade “Bather”
In morning haze of a summer day stands she: beauty-sportswoman or Bather. By
the way despite her outward youth she stood on her base in 1952. This
construction is unique in its own way, because it has no pump and water flows
down in a haphazard manner from the pond situated above.
Fountain of peoples’ friendship
The system of controlling the fountain allows to create various pictures by
jets, because their maximal height makes up 24 m – it is so called “gala jets”.
Some time it didn’t work. After reconstruction the fountain works much better.
This year it has pleased inhabitants and guests of the city.
Fountain “Stone flower”
Fountain “Stone flower” was built in 1954. Some elements of this fountain
were made in the workshop of Academy of Arts – so thoroughly they approached to
this building!
Here it is the flower itself, faced with smalt, it appeared before us from
Bazhov’s fairy-tales as if by magic.
Small fountains of VVC (All-Russian Exhibition Center)
For the first time after many years at the exhibition the fountain came
alive: it happened owing to the Festival of Flowers. This water facility is
placed at the entry of the pavilion “Culture” and consists of three cups. They
worked short: right after their opening the nipples were taken away and water
was poured out. Perhaps, deterioration of the equipment affects.
This is a central cup. High jets break away from the stone vase.
Why do we experience only pleasant emotions near the fountain? Scientists
give an explanation to this fact. Water, breaking into sprays, saturates air
with negative ions. They are called vitamins of health.
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